Lydia Smith is Director of the Emerging Minority Developer Fund (EMDF) for National Equity Fund, Inc. (NEF). EMDF is a $100M+ investment fund established in 2020 to build the financial capacity and experience of emerging Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) developers to help them overcome high barriers to entry in accessing Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) to develop affordable housing. As the EMDF Director, her work is focused on identifying, nurturing and advocating for minority affordable housing developers, and LIHTC focused businesses owned and/or led by people of color.

Lydia’s affordable housing experience spans a decade working in both the Accounting and Asset Operations departments for NEF. She is passionate about making Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity more accessible for minority developers of color. She is committed to growing awareness about EMDF and driving education on the need for forward-thinking resources to support the next generation of developers. For more information about EMDF, visit www.linkedin.com/in/LydiaSmith-NEF-EMDF to send a message.